Grade 9 College Vocabulary, Week 26

Definition: A sudden, sharp, localized pain; a brief pang of emotion.

From the reading: "He was touched by a twinge of jealousy." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

prick, sting, pinch

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old English twengan, to pinch: a sudden sharp pain.

Definition: Able to be assigned or attributed to.

From the reading: "There, directly under the bridge, was the merchant’s house, a mass of gray stone, unhewn, referable to no style, looking, as the voyager had described it, like a buttress of the wall against which it leaned." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

ascribable, attributable

Antonyms:

unattributable

Root:Latin referre, to carry back (re-, back + ferre, to carry) + -able: able to be traced back to.

Definition: To worship or regard as a god.

From the reading: "Their discontent, if they were discontented, was with the number of gods; for, after borrowing all the divinities of the earth they proceeded to deify their Cæsars, and vote them altars and holy service." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

idolize, exalt, worship

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:French déifier, Late Latin deificare, from Latin deificus. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To agree to give up or do without; to renounce under oath.

From the reading: "Every year thousands, forswearing the world, gave themselves to service here." (Ben-Hur)

KJV link: "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:" (Matthew 5:33)

Synonyms:

renounce, abjure, recant

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old English forsweren, forswerien, Old English (Anglo-Saxon) forswerian; pref. for- + swerian to swear. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Not returned in kind.

From the reading: "Still, the love that is unrequited cannot be perfect love, wherefore I will wait a time, remembering I am thy daughter and my mother’s.” “A very blessing of the Lord art thou, Esther!" (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

unanswered, unreciprocated, nonreciprocal

Antonyms:

reciprocal

Root:un-, not + requite (re-, back + quite, to pay, from Latin quietare, to set at rest) + -ed: not paid back.

Definition: Come together, usually for a purpose.

From the reading: "Here—there—in the city and in the Circuses, and wherever the strong most do congregate, tell ye this his offer." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

gather, assemble, meet

Antonyms:

disperse

Root:Latin congregatus, p.p. of congregare to congregate; on- + gregare to collect into a flock, from grex flock, herd. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: A person who makes slow progress and falls behind others.

From the reading: "“Malluch is a laggard to-night,” he said, showing where his thoughts were." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

straggler, dawdler, slowpoke

Antonyms:

fast

Root:Lag + -ard. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Suitable or at a time that is suitable or advantageous especially for a particular purpose.

From the reading: "An opportune failure of breath on his part helped the stratagem." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

timely, seasonable, well-timed

Antonyms:

inopportune

Root:French opporiun, Latin opportunus, lit., at or before the port; ob (see Ob-) + a derivative of portus port, harbor. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To make someone aware of or familiar with.

From the reading: "“No; a Roman camp.” “But thou must first acquaint thyself with the use of arms.” Now a master may never safely advise a slave." (Ben-Hur)

KJV link: "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee." (Job 22:21)

Synonyms:

introduce, present, familiarize

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French acoint. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To prohibit or forbid; to intercept and prevent movement.

From the reading: "The remark does not interdict the further saying, if his scruples had been ever so extreme, not improbably he would at this time have smothered them." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

forbid, prohibit, proscribe

Antonyms:

permit, allow

Root:Old English entrediten to forbid communion, Latin interdicere, interdictum. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: To think about something deeply and at length.

Context (original sentence): The captain mulled the offer overnight before he answered.

Synonyms:

ponder, consider, ruminate

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Middle English mullen, to grind.

Definition: Attractively tall and dignified, like a statue.

From the reading: "The cheers and clapping of hands were received with statuesque indifference." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

stately, dignified, majestic

Antonyms:

squat

Root:Latin statua, a statue (from stare, to stand) + -esque, like: like a statue.

Definition: To form crystals; to make or become definite and clear.

From the reading: "In his mind, as we shall presently see, there was crystallizing an idea which was to change his course of life, if not absorb it absolutely." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

solidify, clarify, take shape

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Cf. French cristalliser. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Defying expression or description.

From the reading: "The shouting increased on the right hand and on the left; before, behind, swelled an indescribable clamor." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

indefinable, ineffable, unspeakable

Antonyms:

expressible

Root:in-, not + Latin describere, to write down (de-, down + scribere, to write) + -able: not able to be written down or told.

Definition: Having great beauty and splendor.

From the reading: "The coming of the beautiful horses and resplendent chariot drew Ben-Hur to look at the driver with increased interest." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

glorious, splendid, dazzling

Antonyms:

drab

Root:Latin resplendens, -entis, present participle of resplendere to shine brightly; pref. re- re- + splendere to shine. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: Feeling or expressing distress or irritation.

From the reading: "For power, you know, is a fretful thing, and hath its wings always spread for flight.” She answered with a simplicity almost childish, “Send for him, father." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

anxious, restless, peevish

Antonyms:

calm, contented

Root:. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: The action of getting rid of an unwanted person or thing.

From the reading: "I have felt the plague’s breath, and the shock of ships in battle; I have heard the tempest lashing the sea, and laughed, though others prayed: death would have been a riddance." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

removal, elimination, deliverance

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:rid (Old Norse rythja, to clear land) + -ance: a clearing away.

Definition: A right or privilege belonging to a person because of birth, often to the firstborn son.

From the reading: "“I am the Simonides of whom you speak, by birthright a Jew,” the man made answer, in a voice singularly clear." (Ben-Hur)

KJV link: "And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright." (Genesis 25:31)

Synonyms:

heritage, inheritance, patrimony

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:birth + right: a right one has by birth, as the firstborn's in Genesis 25.

Definition: To go beyond the range or limits of; to surpass.

From the reading: "And eager to begin the work, and answering in the worldly way, Ben-Hur lost sight of the double nature of the man, and of the other possibility, that the divine in him might transcend the human." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

exceed, surpass, rise above

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin transcendere, transcensum; trans beyond, over + scandere to climb. (Webster, 1913)

Definition: The rising of Christ from the dead; any rising again from death or decay.

From the reading: "Dead so long, and, lo! the thrill and stir of resurrection." (Ben-Hur)

KJV link: "The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him," (Matthew 22:23)

Synonyms:

rising again, revival, restoration

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:French résurrection, Latin resurrectio, from resurgere, resurrectum, to rise again; pref. re- re- + surgere to rise. (Webster, 1913)